GM Goodwrench® Synthetic Manual Transmission Fluid (GM Part No. U.S. 12346190, in Canada 10953477 — 1 quart) or SAE 75W-90 GL-5 gear oil.
So I went with CAD part #10953477 (At an outrageous $35/quart) which is a 75W-85 GL-4 spec fluid. At first, I didn't notice much difference but a few days later as it started to get colder the shifting was more stiff and difficult than before with the factory fluid. I could feel the synchro's grabbing in 1-2 and 2-3 shifts, it was butter smooth before and was never felt before. Through the winter on really cold mornings (-15c to -25c) the gear shift would barely move and a longer warmup was required before I could take off, and even then you could feel the notchy gear changes. It gets better as the car warms up after a 15 minute highway drive, still not as smooth as the factory fluid which was butter.
So I just checked a Corolla/Matrix owners manual. Sure enough a straight SAE 75W LV (Low Viscosity) GL-4 (not GL-5 as the GM manual suggests) is recommended. So I went to a Toyota dealer here in Montreal, they do not sell it, they get it in a 'drum' just for the service dept. They can't even guarantee the viscosity, as they tell me it just says MTF on it.
A quick google search gives part numbers 08885-81007 and 08885-81001. Only alternatives I could find was FUCHS 75W FE SintoFluid, Castrol FE 75W and Ravenol 75W. None are sold here So if anyone wondered what happened to your butter smooth shifts after a fluid change, now you know. Anyone else experience this? What spec fluid is everyone running in your manual gearbox?
